The present invention relates to a luxury fiber blend for use in fiberfill household textile articles, in particular, fiberfill pillow inserts for use with home furnishings and the like and beddings such as pillows, comforters, quilts, bedspreads, pads and other textile fiber products used or intended to be used on or about a bed or other place or other place for reclining or sleeping. The invention further relates to tickings and other types of casings, filled with a homogenous blend of plural types of fibers which includes at least one type of luxury fiber, to produce fiberfill beddings and other fiberfill household textile articles.
A number of household textile articles are generally characterized as fiberfill household textile articles. Broadly speaking, a fiberfill household textile article is comprised of a ticking or other type of casing filled with manufactured fibers, most commonly, polyester fibers, specially engineered for use as filling material. A common fiberfill household textile article is the pillow. Ordinarily, consumers use pillows in conjunction with a mattress. While consumers generally prefer that a mattress be characterized by suitably high levels of supportability, durability and rigidity, like many household textile articles used as beddings, consumers are typically more concerned that pillows have suitably high levels of comfort and loft.
Because of the aforementioned consumer preferences, loose fibers, non-woven fiber batts, and foams have traditionally been selected as the fiberfill to be used for pillows. Regardless of which type of fiberfill is used, the selected fiberfill is manufactured to be soft and comfortable to the touch. Other characteristics of the selected fiberfill, e.g., supportability, durability and rigidity, are of less importance to the manufacturer. More specifically, supportability is relatively unimportant because pillows rarely support heavy weights, durability because pillows are less expensive and easier to replace in comparison to mattresses or other types of bedding and rigidity because it is generally preferred that pillows conform to the head when used for sleeping.
Pillows are also used in other settings outside of the bedroom. For example, pillows or cushions are often used to add comfort to and/or enhance the appearance of sofas, chairs and other articles of furniture. For such uses, an intermediate product commonly known as a pillow insert is first constructed. Generally, a pillow insert is comprised of a ticking, preferably, a plain white ticking constructed of cloth or another inexpensive material, in which fiberfill, typically, in the form of either loose fiberfill or a nonwoven fiber batt, is inserted. Before being used with a sofa, chair or other article of furniture, assembly of the pillow must first be completed by inserting the plain white pillow insert into a second, decorative, ticking. While any numbers of terms are used to identify this particular type of pillow and the pillow inserts from which this type of pillow is formed, a common identifying term is a “throw pillow.” Furthermore, while throw pillows may be constructed in any number of shapes and/or dimensions, square throw pillows which are either 14, 16 or 18 inches along each side are quite common.
The throw pillow is now ready to add comfort to and/or enhance the appearance of a sofa, chair or other article of furniture, for example, by positioning the throw pillow such that it functions as a side rest for a person sitting or reclining on the sofa, chair or other article of furniture. When used to add comfort to and/or enhance the appearance of a sofa, chair or other article of furniture, the characteristics of the throw pillow that consumers are more interested in are softness and comfort. Other characteristics, for example, supportability, durability and rigidity are less important. For example, the throw pillow is rarely asked to bear more than a moderate amount of weight. Accordingly, support is rarely of concern. Like others, the throw pillow is easily replaced, thereby reducing the need for durability. Finally, as throw pillows are often expected to conform somewhat to the shape of the sofa, chair or other article of furniture, it is typically preferred that throw pillows have only a limited amount of rigidity.
Another common fiberfill household textile article is the quilt. Traditionally, the fiberfill used for quilts has been comprised of loose fibers or nonwoven fiber batts. When nonwoven fiber batts are used as the fiberfill for quilts, a center section of the quilt will typically contain a plurality of tack points which keep a top side of the quilt joined to a bottom side thereof. Variously, the tack points may be hand or machine stitched. As a result, the nonwoven fiber batt must be of sufficient thickness and density to allow for either type of stitching. In order to be suitable for use as the fiberfill of a quilt, the nonwoven fiber batt must also be characterized as soft and comfortable to the touch, drapeable, supple, and have a soft hand. Because quilts are not designed to support any weight, support is a relatively unimportant characteristic. Likewise, because quilts are typically well cared for and easily replaced, durability is also a relatively unimportant characteristic. Finally, because a quilt is intended to be drapeable, e.g., conform to the body of the person under the quilt, rigidity is also a relatively unimportant characteristic. Even when the quilt is used for decorative purposes, such as when the quilt is draped over a chair or sofa, rigidity is oftentimes seen as an undesirable characteristic.
The Textile Fiber Products Identification Act (15 U.S.C. § 70 et seq.) governs the labeling of textile fiber products. Under this Act, textile fiber products must include a stamp, tag, label, or other means of identification, affixed to the product, which states: (1) the constituent fiber or combination of fibers in the textile fiber product in the order of predominance by the weight thereof if the weight of such fiber is 5 percent or more of the total fiber weight of the product; (2) the percentage of each such fiber present, by weight, in the total fiber content of the textile fiber product; (3) the name of the manufacturer of the product; and (4) the country where the textile fiber product was processed and/or manufactured. Unless a fiber has a clearly established functional significance, fibers constituting less than 5 percent of the total weight of the textile fiber product may only be identified as “Other Fibers.” For example, the Act will allow a textile fiber product to be marked “3 percent by weight Spandex for elasticity.”
Synthetic fibers, such as polyester, provide superior levels of loft and softness. As a result, these fibers have typically been used as fiberfill for household textile articles. However, as a whole, the public perceives polyester and other synthetic fibers as relatively ordinary. As a result, regardless of the level of loft and softness provided thereby, household textile articles filled with such fibers are perceived as being of ordinary quality. In contrast, a number of fibers, for example, silk and cashmere, are perceived by the public as luxurious fibers. As a result, household textile articles filled with these so-called “luxury” fibers are perceived to be of superior quality relative to household textile articles filled with polyester or other “ordinary” fibers. Like polyester fibers, luxury fibers such as silk and cashmere provide superior levels of loft and softness. However, the level of loft and softness provided by a luxury fiber such as silk or cashmere is not necessarily as superior, relative to the level of loft and softness provided by an ordinary fiber such as polyester, as the consumer's general perception of the luxury fiber as a superior fiber relative to the ordinary fiber. Furthermore, the cost of constructing fiberfill out of silk, cashmere or another luxury fiber is quite expensive. As a result, a pillow, quilt or other fiberfill household textile article filled with silk, cashmere or another luxury fiber would, for many consumers, be cost prohibitive. As a result, in spite of a perception of the product as being of lesser quality, such consumers would more likely purchase a pillow, quilt or other fiberfill household textile article filled with polyester or other ordinary fiber.
In spite of the high costs associated therewith, consumer studies indicate that there is a large demand for fiberfill household textile articles such as pillows and quilts containing luxury fibers. In part, this demand results from the desire of consumers to possess heirlooms-treasured possessions which may be handed down from generation to generation—of great value. However, because of the absence of an inexpensive luxury fiber-containing fiberfill, luxury fiberfill household textile articles remain expensive. It should be readily appreciated, however, that there remains a need for pillows, quilts and other luxury fiberfill household textile articles that are not cost prohibitive for consumers.